Conditional cash transfers and health

For the past two and a half decades, many developing countries have experienced greater economic and institutional stability that has allowed them to develop comprehensive social programs to reduce poverty and inequality. In this context, conditional cash transfer (CCT) programs have grown worldwide from just two in the 1990s to more than 100 that now cover millions of people in need. The goal is to provide income support to the poor by incentivizing households to build human capital and eventually become self-sufficient. In this chapter, we have reviewed CCT programs with a focus on health while paying special attention to the supply side of healthcare services, as the success of demand-side interventions such as CCT programs often depends on the supply of adequate and high-quality institutional services. The chapter also includes a discussion on the importance of health conditions to overcome poverty and how CCT programs have affected the supply and demand for healthcare services in developing countries. Finally, we have reviewed many of the studies on the effects of these programs on different health outcomes to assess the effectiveness of CCT programs.